


Review of “Judgement - (Undertale Song by TryHardNinja) Stop Motion Animation”

by ArgentDandelion



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Music, Nonfiction, Reviews, Sans Boss Battle (Undertale), Stop-Motion, Undertale Genocide Route
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 19:53:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20013892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArgentDandelion/pseuds/ArgentDandelion
Summary: A music video review of the same video as the title, talking about its unique style, cinematic techniques, and emotional effectiveness. Originally posted on June 4, 2019 on Tumblr.





	Review of “Judgement - (Undertale Song by TryHardNinja) Stop Motion Animation”

“Judgement - (Undertale Song by TryHardNinja) Stop Motion Animation” (hereby called “Judgment”) is one of the most stylistically unique Undertale music videos I have seen on YouTube, or, indeed, one of the most unique music videos at all I’ve ever seen. In fact, I’ve never seen a video of its like since—probably because it’s all stop-motion.

Animation, especially good animation, is time-consuming. Stop-motion, though, is especially so, particularly when done by just one person.

This 4-minute, 22-second-long video took months to create. One can tell the creator cut corners just to make this feat possible. Yet, it cuts non-essential corners, emphasizing the less time-consuming (but skilled) cinematic choices and putting the most energy into where it’s needed. Its prudent parsimony brings to mind anime that does more with less motion, saving up its animation budget for incredibly impressive sequences rather than keeping up moderate quality throughout.

Like anime, TechnicalAntonym did a lot with still shots and simple pans and zooms of a static image, as well as recycling sequences. The recycling of sequences makes a lot of sense, given the themes of the video: of course certain experiences will be repeated across Undertale’s various routes.

##  **Shots**

Starting the first ten seconds facing down Sans in the Judgment Hall with a creepy reverberating noise is visually, cinematically arresting, or “riveting”, as might be called in a book. The title and the song itself comes only after this, with a slow downward tilt from Snowdin’s trees. Starting in Snowdin Forest is itself an original turn of events: many music videos start out with Frisk or Chara falling into the Ruins and/or onto the Ruins’ flower patch, but, in starting the video at Snowdin Bridge, it brings more of an emphasis to Sans.

The video uses interesting lighting choices: the lighting color, intensity, and source vary according to each area. The Judgment Hall even has warm, sunny lighting, with accurate intense shadows. The video’s shots are also well-matched to the music, even speeding up the recycled sequences to match the music.

Beyond its attention to lighting, the video has a few special effects which are impressive given the medium and its scale, such as a scene in which Sans seems to watch Frisk’s progression through the Underground. The practical effects are impressive, as well: TechnicalAntonym got a Gaster Blaster to float by putting it on a support stand and removing the stand in post-production.

The Judgment video is also emotionally effective: the shot at 0:44 of Frisk looking upward in the Ruins feels lonely, isolated. Indeed, with Sans and some victims being the only recurring characters, it has the overall feel of loneliness, of in some sense standing away from the rest. The shot at 2:57 of Frisk at the reload screen is very dramatic: the darkness of the scene and the fact the letters look like they’re floating and glowing are especially good.

While the cost-cutting is evident just to make this project feasible, at some points the creator clearly went the extra mile. Apparently, backgrounds were made from a combination of cardboard, papier-mâché, and printed paper sheets; TechnicalAntonym must have carefully arranged that perfect rendering of the background through New Home. Furthermore, the creator apparently made clay models for everyone at the final screen of the Pacifist Route, where they look at the sunrise, even though they’d only be featured for a few seconds.

Then there’s the most motion-intensive sequence in the whole video: the Genocide Route battle. The start of the sequence is one of the most impressive transitions here: from darkness to light, as Sans opens his eyes. The Gaster Blasters twirl after shooting, and Frisk is shoved down the “hallway” sequence past what seems to be multiple Sans-es. It’s intercut with Frisk making the lonely choice to reload and try again, and even lifts the heart-shattering death animation from the game from one shot.

Near the end, Sans asks Frisk a question: “Do you think even the worst person can change?” In this video, Frisk’s answer is ‘yes’: they turn around, crying, and hug Sans. The video ends like it began (after the ten-second mark): panning upward into the trees of Snowdin forest.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my [Tumblr](https://argentdandelion.tumblr.com/). Feel free to comment on this article there or here.


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